Saving a King:: Labyrinth FanFic:: Revised
by MorganaCraven
Summary: Sarah is faced with a choice: Let the Labyrinth die along with its King? or salvage her beloved land and whatever love could be born between her and the King? J/S M for sexyness. Same story that was uploaded before, just polished and revised.
1. Chapter 1

Saving a King

Chapter 1

Memories

Memories were what at times kept 24 year old Sarah Williams alive. Her income depended much on her retelling and story telling of a world filled with sock-stealing goblins and gentle giants. Ah yes her childhood memories had become like a gold mine, but no one really appreciated them enough to her taste. The unfinished 3rd book of her Underground series was strewn about her cluttered desk collecting the specks of dust that were dragged in by the gentle breeze through her window. Toby would always remind her of someone who danced and sang for the blonde, blue eyed babe. Every time she would drive a few miles to visit her family, she would find the eight year old humming his melody. He always claimed the mighty Goblin King had made it just for him, he knew as much.

This particular weekend, on Saturday evening, after having some apple pie, Sarah stood in front of the chest at her old childhood bedroom. It had been years since she had seen it and what resided within. She knew that leather bound book would be winking up at her with coquettish eyes begging for a read. Deciding that the moment was too intense she sat in front of the vanity mirror her mother had left her with. The subtle layer of dust was a testament of how much time she had not looked upon herself in the mirror. The sheet resting upon the reflective glass taunted her to reveal its splendor in the light of the sun smiled as she uncovered it, feeling as if she were within one of her many epic and adventurous novels. The glass stared at her in trepidation, she stared back waiting for a ripple of the surface or Hoggle's wrinkled features to appear.

She still remembered when she had come back, the tremendous lonesome feeling she had inside of her chest.

The joy that came to her eyes was immeasurable as she heard Hoggle's voice call out to her. At first it was a quiet whisper of her name, it could've have been mistakenly taken for the gentle whisper of the wind through the cracks on the window sill. She called out a bit louder than her meek whisper:

"Hoggle …I need you"

She closed her eyes briefly as she felt a strange air sweep the room. The spicy smell and warm feeling…

_Magic_.

A shuffling noise and a gasp were heard behind her. As she turned her bright eyed face to see what it was, a small feather rippled through the mirror and fell upon her desk.

"Sarah, is that you?"

Oh she knew that voice anywhere! Turning as fast as she could, she fell upon her knees to embrace the small figure before her. "Hoggle, it's been so much time, oh how I've missed you!"

Hoggle's small arms encircled Sarah as much as he could and a sigh of relief was heard. "My my! Sarah you have grown an awful lot! You didn' eat dose beans did ya? I sure told Jack not to give you any!"

Sarah laughed joyously as she remembered her many adventures after the Labyrinth ordeal. It had only been 6 years since she had last seen Hoggle. Her last adventure had been within her very room. It had been her goodbye, she was leaving for College and she couldn't take them along. Ludo had held onto her all through the night, never once thinking of letting go until Sir Didymus convinced him of such.

"No, Hoggle I just grew up! But I sure as hell didn't grow old"

"Yous gonna look old if ye keep smilin' so much" he teased, "Oh Sarah we was worried you was never gonna come back to us."

"Oh Hoggle" she said softly, "I would never think about that, never."

The evening soon turned to midnight as they spoke of their many adventures. How Sir Didymus had traveled far and wide spreading his own legend. Ludo kept guard of the Troll forests and helped him in the castle gardens at times. The fierys had caused more troubles than he'd like to mention and the goblins were as dirty as ever still. Sarah listened intently at the stories Hoggle had to tell, but a single question was burning her throat. Was the king alright? Did he forget about her? Was he still so menacingly beautiful? Until Sarah had grown up and gone out with a boy for the first time (A drooling idiot with idle hands by the name of Jeremy Felton), she had understood the offer of the king. After coming home mad because the boy wanted to 'make-out' the entire time, she had remembered her ideal boy. Soon the ideal boy had turned into a sensual Goblin King right before her mind's eye.

Hoggle smiled when he noticed the question lingering in her eyes and decided to be easy with her.

"You knows, if you really do wanna knows, that rat Jareth is doin' as best as he could" he sighed placidly "considerin' what yous did to his poor unfeelin' heart."

Hoggle smiled kindly when Sarah bit her lip and creased her forehead. Hoggle patted her back softly "Although he ain't got a lot of time now, we even gotta start movin' if we wanna survive whatsa comin' to the Labyrinth." Sarah's face became stern, questions lingering in her gaze.

"What do you mean? Why do you have to leave the Labyrinth?"

"Jareth's gotten weak Sarah, and with him the Labyrinth. You did a number on him and that weakened his magic."

"Well can't that idiot just get better! That glittery git better not be moping around!"

"Well he is" said Hoggle "and soon enough other kings are going to notice it and take the land for themselves"

Sarah frowned and turned to him "Well that isn't that bad right? I mean he has to give his throne up some time right?"

Hoggle shook his head and fumbled with the edge of his tattered vest. "Sarah, in this case Jareth ain't givin' the throne to nobody…"

Sarah stared at Hoggle as the words struggled to come out of his throat.

"In gettin' the throne, to have the magic of the Labyrinth they have to…inevitably…kill Jareth."


	2. Chapter 2

Saving a King

Chapter 2

Compassion

"Inevitably Sarah,… Kill Jareth"

They were just four words and yet those four words seemd to cause her world to spin completely. Her hands suddenly felt clammy, ears hot and stomach churning. As Sarah sat immobile to Hoggle's eyes, her brain rushed back to the fateful night she had rejected him. She didn't know her rejection would cause him so much pain or destroy his will so. Sarah had been fifteen for the love of Goblins! In her small fairytale mind she had failed to comprehend the enormity of what he was asking of her! How could she have known what the entire 'slave thing' meant? He was right in a way though. He HAD done everything she asked, from being a seducer to a villain and then to a pleading man. But, Sarah had said she needed all of them and never once did he appear again. Didn't the snob know it included him too? After so many years of fruitless relationships, she had needed him.

Hoggle shuffled his feet and sat next to where Sarah was on her vanity chair.

"But…why exactly does he have to be killed?" she asked softly.

"He rules the land that any powerful king desires, it is connected to everywhere and anything. I bet he doesn't even know how powerful that lump of stone could be, and as for the killin', it's a 'keep what you kill' thin'."

Ugh. It had come to this now. Even though it might have been her fault this whole thing was happening, he shouldn't have been so hurt by it all. But, what if she wasn't the only reason? Why after so many years had he still been pining for her? She was sure there were more beautiful fae. Hoggle scratched his head confused and slapped her knee in a jeering manner

"Ain't you and the rat in some bad footin'"?

Wambam mister! Hoggle was sure on a role! Maybe this was her punishment for rejecting the ol' crotch-enhancing-pants king. "It's more complicated than you think Hoggle, you see, He made me the offer of loving him and being his forever…I was only 15, I didn't understand what he meant by that at all! And now it seems it meant a lot…"

Sarah cast her gaze aside, her hands seeming to be enthralled by a stray string in the hem of her worn out sweatshirt. "He did a lot of things while I was there, just to please me apparently. It all started with this stupid book I got from an antique store. It just seemed to call to me. It tells a tale, dictated by destiny, a Goblin King who fell in love with a human girl and he gave her special powers…" The melancholy began to seep into her words, the same words she had recited in front of the same mirror. This is where it all started, her many adventures in the Labyrinth, in lands she thought she would only ever read of in fairy tales.  
>A soft silence spread across the room, Sarah's voice only spoke fragments of what she was thinking now, "He said he moved the stars for no one…and that my eyes were cruel, were they cruel because they were ignorant?" A dull thud was heard as Sarah set her head on the vanity. "My head hurrrrts" she said with slight annoyance at what was happening. What could she do now? March back? "Hi Jareth! I came by to kick you in the crystals with my mere presence, but don't worry I'll also find a way to save your sorry arse!" Yeah<em> that<em> would work wonders. Work wonders for the_ proud_ Goblin King, Ruler of the mighty Labyrinth.

But in all of this, even if she had broken his heart, he still pined for her. 'You would like to think that, wouldn't you Sarah?' she accused herself. The Goblin King had been in love with her and she had been 15. Her selfish teen fantasies had hurt someone. The Goblin King had made her feel important when she was alone and misunderstood, someone had thought the world of her when her father and Karen saw a babysitter and an immature girl. When schoolmates saw an oddball, he had seen a queen, a beautiful and strong rival. Something had to be done; things couldn't be left this way, not anymore.

"We have to save him Hoggle…"

"W-wait just a minute there lady! This ain't gonna to be a walk in the park!" Hoggle said as he stood and waved his hands around.

"I know it won't, I don't expect anything to be a walk in the park anymore", she responded with a cool voice, "Besides, I don't plan on doing it alone, I want you by my side, like always."

Hoggle smiled warmly, ever the companion of the dear Lady Sarah. As the night progressed into the blue fingers of dawn, Sarah had packed a small backpack with essentials, donning some jeans and booties along with a beige cotton shirt. They had spoken throughout the night, theorizing about what she would see and what she would do in any given situation. Somehow Sarah knew these things wouldn't be enough.

With great trepidation, fear of the unknown and of the Goblin King, she stood before her vanity mirror. Summoning her powers, given to her out of love, she took Hoggle's hand.

If sacrifices had to be made she was determined to make them. Saving the world she loved more than life was her determination.

Little did Sarah Williams know what she would be sacrificing. 


	3. Chapter 3

Saving a King

Chapter 3

Seeking

A sensory overload is what at times we feel when returning to a place that is engrained into our memory. The smells, the sights, the light; everything seems to have conspired to take your breath away. Sarah felt much like this, the soft and unseen sun of the Labyrinth shining upon her features. Surely it had been too long; she would have never left at all if it had been up to her. Now as she looked back, air was the only element that greeted her now departed childhood room. The sand felt as soft as it did the many years she had walked through it. The foliage around her seemed to always change color depending on the time of the day. In the morning they would be blue, cool and crisp. By noon they seemed a dead green, enough green to know they lived. It was just one of the many charming attributes the land of the Labyrinth had. She had thought the labyrinth was all there was to the kingdom, but it expanded to the Troll forests were Ludo was now in, to the rocky canyons near the expanse of savannah like terrain. It was all full of different creatures, beautiful sites and abundant resources. '_If I were a king I'd love to get my hands on this'_, thought Sarah as she walked down the short path to the Labyrinth doors with Hoggle in tow. The times she returned to the Labyrinth she always saw only a part of it, traveling short distances for fear that her parents may not find her in bed or at her desk doing her homework, and even so, time would rearrange itself to afford her a good night's sleep or homework would be done itself. Those had been interesting years indeed, all of her life, magic had always played an important part.

Just as they began to cross the broken down doors of the Labyrinth, a yelp was heard. A furry colorful blur jumped at Sarah. The next thing she felt was her bum hitting the sandy stone ground with armfuls of Sir Didymus.

"Oh my fair lady! My heart rejoices to see thee has returned!" he said as he held her tight.

"I've missed you too Didymus. I'm glad you're alright!" she said returning the hug of the small fox.

Now, as she set the fox down, it dawned on her how many years really had passed. Nothing was very different about the fox except some more graying whiskers and his clothing. He definitely seemed more refined and Ambrocious wasn't anywhere to be seen.

"I see you are looking for my noble steed! My dear Ambrocious had to stay behind and care for her pups now, she is a mother and as such cannot go on dallying in dangerous affairs", he puffed up his chest with pride as he told her about his canine ride. Sarah chuckled softly and pet his head with equal tenderness. The sunset had begun to turn into evening as the path to the castle was revealed.

"I remembered the path was harder than this, what happened?"

Hoggle walked ahead of Sarah, pointing to the dead ogling plants. "If there ain't no magic, the labyrinth just ain't gonna work the same, and it ain't gonna wanna play" he remarked grumpily. Sarah neared the ogling plants and petted them softly as if willing them to come to life. They had played an important part when engaging in games of hide and seek amongst the safer parts of the grand maze. When hiding from the ever clever Sir Didymus and Ludo, she had told the plants to look away in a joking manner. To her surprise they had lead Sir Didymus to believe she was in another direction! She would chortle quietly when the fox would, after a while; demand to know where she was. The plants kept facing towards opposite directions. Snapping out of memory lane, she petted the plants one last time to keep following Hoggle down the undisguised path to the Goblin Castle.

To get to the castle gates she had been to, a long journey had been necessary. These castle gates were much more discreet and rather simple looking; apparently no strange mecha around. A cloak was handed to her by Hoggle, it had a big hood and was rather long.

"Am I really so badly remembered?" she smirked.

"Not really, but we wouldn't want anyone recognizing thy fair visage! We must get to the castle as silently as we can," said Didymus.

"After all, all theys know is you 'broke kingy'" said Hoggle with a tint of sarcasm, no doubt influenced by Sarah herself.

The gates creaked softly as they entered. With eyes wide, Sarah looked upon the scene that met her eyes. A large market with different and numerous objects was spread across and expanse of half a mile. So many goblins of different sizes, fairys, what looked like wood sprites and some short elves walked around. The hustle and bustle was joyous, angry and sometimes drunken stupor. Hoggle pulled her aside as a large tree like troll passed by them angrily. "Come on Sarah" Hoggle said exasperated; he had never liked crowds before. As they walked through a narrow tunnel, the sounds began to dissipate. A completey different setting was on display for her now. The small quiet houses of the goblin village seemed too hard to believe in. It was almost too silent for her taste, but what would never cease to be heard was the _cluck clucking_ of chickens. The threesome walked with more ease nearing the castle doors in no time. When trying to push the door open, large steps were heard behind them, a familiar smell penetrating Sarah's nostrils.

"Ludo…" she said breathless as she hugged the large troll. After a bear hug, Ludo pushed the door open effortlessly. Now, the small crowd walked in silently, ripping some cobwebs in their wake and accidently kicking kegs as they went. A large stair case greeted her after some corridors. "We go Sarah…" Ludo said softly. This time her friends would come with her.

Without magic, the maze was not the only one seemingly drained. The goblin castle had lost its enchantment, along with the drunken goblins and constant sound of music. What looked like the Escher room, or its remains, had only one set of stairs now. The four climbed, all the while looking at the looming darkness of the upper level. The darkness was relieved as they turned into a large hall with equally large windows and a gothic ceiling.

"I bet he's in there," said Hoggle pointing to the large cherry wood doors at the end of the hall. Her steps seemed to echo off the walls as they neared the darkened end. Upon the door were intricate carvings of some kind. At the bottom, many skeletal like figure reached up as if trying to grasp something. In the middle were many goblins, trolls, elves and vampire looking creatures holding them down. A goblin throne with the insignia on Jareth's pendant was at the center of it. On the sides were what seemed like a king, and on the left side there was a distorted kind of smudge. It had held a figure, most likely a queen that was now absent. At the feet of the queen figure lay words in Latin: Domina Lucis. _Lady of Light…_

" 'Tis a prophecy my lady" Sir Didymus whispered. Sarah pressed her ear to the door but no sound was heard from within. '_This is getting weirder by the minute,' _she thought. Hoggle pressed a hand into hers in reassurance. Armed with courage by her friends she opened the door softly.

What would she find? Would she find the goblin king in a sickened and weak state? Would she find a decaying corpse? Or a skeleton?

She hoped all of her questions were wrong.


	4. Chapter 4

Saving a King

Chapter 4

Guilt

Darkness is always frightening because of our lack of knowing what lies within it. Sarah felt like this at the moment. The darkness of the chamber caused her fears to multiply, along with the eerie stillness within.

All was fixed when a small torch was lit in Hoggle's hand, the light emanating making Sarah feel less jumpy. Hoggle walked along the room's walls to find more torches with which to illuminate the study. Once there was enough light, she looked around the room in amazement. The room was oval shaped, filled with stacks of books and items of different types. A large rug was set in the middle, made of the finest fur one could find in Labyrinth. The tall windows were covered with heavy drapes the color of wine with golden tussles. Even if the room was full of beauty, counting the grand cherry wood desk, it lacked of a certain king.

"I'm guessing he isn't here," Sarah whispered for fear of something hiding amongst the dark corners of the study. Hoggle nodded and continued to look around. Sir Didymus busied himself to look out for anyone who might come upon them. As Sarah was stroking the edges of a worn book, Ludo's figure moved to the large desk. Catching his movements, Sarah followed behind him to see if he had discovered anything. A top the desk there lay a strange object, it looked much like the pendant Jareth had but slightly larger in size. Her fingers traced the symbol softly. As her fingers continually made contact with the pendant, her thoughts strayed to memories of the king; a soft wind originating from the pendant began to pick up. Sarah took several steps back as the pendant began to shine brightly. Ludo and Didymus moved to hide behind a love seat situated near the exit. Hoggle took Sarah's hand and hid near a large bookcase, obscuring the view of whatever might come out. The torches went out; the room was once again filled with a deep darkness. An angry groan was heard,

"How many times have I told you idiotic mongrels to not interrupt me!"

'That voice can only be one guy's', Sarah thought with slight glee and apprehension. A chandelier that hung above suddenly lit, and Sarah and Hoggle pressed themselves closer to the corner behind the bookcase. Turning only a slight part of her eyesight to where his shadow loomed over the floor, Sarah silently gasped at what he was staring at. There across the floor lay Sarah's cloak. The shadows across his face did not let her see his face or expression. He stood there silent and still. After a long pause he picked the garment and smelled the scent it carried.

If Sarah had not been paying such close attention she would not have noticed the slight shake in his voice as he yelled for a goblin.

"Varkala!"

As Jareth began to walk towards the center of the room, Hoggle bumped a small pile of books. They tumbled down lazily, the last one falling on his majesty's side. Jareth now paid closer attention to the slightly dark corner of the bookcase, his mouth quirking in a smug smirk, "Who is there?" he asked. His expression was slightly guarded, but now, so close she could see excitement, fury and something she could not identify as of yet. He wore his criminally suffocating black tights. His silken shirt opened at his chest, the pendant glowing slightly from whatever had happened.

Hoggle jumped out of his hiding spot nervously. "You're Majesty…I…I" he stammered. Seeing he was not going to say much, Jareth picked him up from the neck of his shirt.

"Hogwart, what on earth can bring your dreadful presence here?"

"H-Hoggle your majesty", he rasped out as he tried with no avail to loosen the pressure of his own shirt around his throat.

"Well, that doesn't matter much now does it? Considering you're a traitor" he responded in a deadly tone.

As the air began to escape his lungs to a frightening point, Sarah stepped out of the shadows and caught his wrist firmly. "Jareth please let go," she said firmly.

"Ah yes little Sarah is back, and demanding!", he dropped Hoggle nonchalantly and walked towards Sarah with dangerous intent. "Hello hello Sarah, How long has it been?" As Jareth began to advance, Sarah began to retreat to the bookcase she had hid behind previously.

"Some time", she responded, the defiance in her voice faltering at the sight of this stalking animal.

"I think, Sarah mine, that my fury was ill directed, perhaps…" He hadn't ended his sentence when his fingers had already begun encasing her throat harshly. Hoggle stood, reading himself for a fight but Sarah motioned for him to stop. Squeezing a bit more strongly, Sarah gazed into his eyes pleadingly. Oh how those eyes had changed! The honey and green-blue hue would never cease to amaze her, even now when they were filled with such strong emotion. "It wasn't ill directed", she managed to choke out, "best if w-we don't direct it to anyone". It was the time to fix things.

"Oh? Please explain Sarah mine, your time is surely about to run out", he said slightly releasing the pressure he had on her throat. Sarah's eyesight began to falter slightly. Touching his wrist softly and staring into his depths she said, "I'm not here to harm you, I'm here to help".

Jareth searched within her eyes for some sort of twist, lie or game. The trickster feared he might have been tricked.

Letting his grip soften completely, Sarah took in gulps of air, his hand still lingering on the column of her neck. "I owe this place so much, including helping it", she said in between breaths. She could not tell him she owed him too. Pride wouldn't let her.

"Sarah has grown from her girlish fantasies, hasn't she?" he said as his fingers ached to once again squeeze the air out of her lungs but instead they stroked her throat almost absent mindedly. His hand fell away silently, his steps echoing in the room as he neared his desk with his back to her.

Never had Sarah been in a more awkward silence in her life.


	5. Chapter 5

Saving a King

Chapter 5

Pride and Pressure

As the silence loomed in the room, Sarah could not look at him, even if he was turned away. His touch still burned her skin, the area tingling in masochistic glee. At least he had seen her, at least he had stopped.

"What could you possibly do for me Sarah?" he asked in a dark tone.

"Not for you," Sarah winced at her tone and amended herself, "Not just for you but for Labyrinth. I heard there was going to be a war of some type…" Her voice finished off in a low whisper. Jareth turned to her, looking much the same as he did so many years ago. A chuckle was heard from his lips, his eyes glaring at her. "Do tell Sarah, have you ever really cared for this place? It seemed you only cared when coming to back to leave your unimportant life". His words cut Sarah, if only a bit. That's wasn't true at all, she had come because she missed the land. The way the sun would make everything seem ethereal and beautiful. How it made her heart race every time the smell of magic enveloped her; she came back out of love for the magical realm. Her senses seemed to always have been the ones to tell her everything was real and true.

"Unimportant? Pardon me your majesty", replied her voice laced with sarcasm, "My life is as important as your pompous arse! And I came out of love for this place. I'm trying to help; the question really is, if you love this place?"

Jareth's back tensed at her words; he would give his life for this place! It was more than land; it was life itself, at least his life. "Love? I didn't know you had it in you", he replied unfazed. "Ha!" Sarah exclaimed, "You're the one to talk! Considering, you're moping around instead of helping your kingdom!"

Jareth, blinded by his rage, threw a crystal sphere mere centimeters from her head. It crashed beside her, but left no shard astray. He did not want to hurt her, just scare her. Scare her enough to shut her up. Sarah stared wide eyed and the shards of glass that had made no contact with her as they disassembled beside her. Trembling slightly, Sarah set a hand on her hip while the other pinched the bridge of her nose, 'so much like the Goblin King', she mused silently as she regarded her own stance.

"I'm sorry", she said softly, "I just want to help".

After a few moments, Jareth moved to the black leather chair behind his desk. His arms rested in the arms of the chair, he looked as regal as ever. "I cannot say I apologize but I will say I didn't mean to be as harsh," he sighed, "I seemed to have a buzzing in my head as of late and now you, the one who destroyed my Labyrinth in her leave, comes back". For a moment, his eyes stared off into the vastness of the room. The girl, _no_, the _woman_ before him had surprised him initially. He would get Hoggle for squawking to her about kingdom affairs. He had been trying to regain his strength from the defeat at the hands of her. Along with a part of his heart, she had taken part of his power. Indeed, such a fairytale cliché for a fairytale world. She didn't seem to know it though. He had given her the power to come and go as she pleased from this world, in hopes of someday using it to his advantage. She could have the best from both worlds and live with him happily. The magic and the influence of the fae world would cause her life to expand, being able to match his in longevity. He had hoped she would accept him. He had seen the girl rehearsing lines from the damn book.

It was a beacon to him.

It had been passed on through generations of royal families to find the appropriate match for the next ruler. It had become lost at his birth as prince. It had passed on to the human world and was found many years later by this particular young girl. Who would have known this human girl was his match? He had built everything so that she may be satisfied at catching a glimpse of a world she thought to be in her imagination. It had broken him when the girl he loved, did not love him.

After many days in anger, one of his more intelligent servants had told him one of the probable causes. The girl was young; she had no idea what Jareth was asking of her. How could she? Having been shielded all her life had made her oblivious to his ardor and passion for her. Coming back to reality, his eyes drifted to her now grown form. Her legs were thick and curvy, a hint of softness at her belly, bountiful breasts; she had indeed grown to be a fine specimen of woman. Above all, her eyes were the ones that had captured his heart more profoundly. The fire in those green eyes burned with a passion unspoken, passion that was only made known to the world through her writing and the arts. The thick brows accentuated her strong eyes. The black tresses that framed her face, made her seem regal and elegant. This woman was perfect for him in so many ways he could not begin to number. The question was if she felt the same way too? Could he change her mind?

No. She had not come for him. She had come for the precious Labyrinth.

A shy knock was heard from the door, interrupting the uncomfortable silence. "You called master?" said a goblin from the door. "Yes", he replied, "Tell the goblin people their king has returned, the Lady has come and everything must be put in order." The goblin nodded once and began the small list of chores.

Sarah raised a brow in question, 'does this mean I was supposed to be here?' she asked herself. This was all so awfully strange but soon enough she would get her answers, she would make sure of it.

"It is in good time you came Sarah", he said softly. "I would appreciate your help; it seems any help is better than none. My strength has weakened due to my power being drained for a…better cause." He strained with the words as he fiddled with the pendant around his neck. "It is best if you remained in the castle, perhaps you will be needed."

"Thank You, but", she said clearing her throat, "I do not want to impose."

Jareth chuckled softly and proceeded to get up and cross the room to where she stood. The crystal debris had now faded into tiny speckles of glitter. Sarah turned to look at him intently. Now, standing so close he seemed slightly haggard and tired.

The silence in the room became amiable enough for them to share a slight nod in a silent truce. Re-acquainting herself with the goblin king would be hard but she owed him as much, and she owed the Labyrinth as much.

"Sarah, I wish for you to be certain you wish to do this. It would have been easier if you had come here as a threat, alas you come as a _friend_", he said with a slight bite, "We have a long journey ahead of us I can assure you. The details of what is happening exactly, I myself do not know them well," he sighed and looked at her with slight gleam in his bi colored eyes, "Enough of this, I shall accompany to your quarters here. I assure you that any questions you may have will be answered as best as I can, for now it is best you rest."

With an elegant swipe of his hand, the room had brightened much more. His wardrobe had changed slightly and his face seemed to have lightened slightly as well. Sarah nodded slowly and followed him as he walked out of the room in a slow untried manner. The four intruders followed with trepidation, but as soon as goblins began to appear out of nowhere to clean, they calmed notably. Sarah looked out of one of the windows of the castle. Many goblins seemed to have returned to their homes, some crowds seemingly moving in once again.

"They had chosen to leave this place, at least while I was gone." He remarked as they passed the windows.

"But where have you been?" she asked, hoping it wouldn't send yet another crystal to her with the intent to hurt her this time.

"I knew of the imminent attack of one of the neighboring kingdoms, I have yet to find out which one." Passing the halls and stairs filled with goblins made Sarah smile somewhat. The situation seemed a bit tense with Jareth, but soon it would fade away she was sure of it. It had been a few minutes' walk as he leaned on a door with the same carvings as the study.

"This is the queens' quarters, but seeing as I do not have one, you shall suffice," he said in a slightly teasing voice. Sarah voiced her concern but Jareth would have none of that. She was a guest of hers and he would be treated as such…regardless of what had happened so many years ago. The other 3 companions were lead to quarters near hers just in case she felt she needed someone to talk to.

As Sarah sat on the soft mattress, the sky had darkened. The stars of the Labyrinth shown brighter than anything she had ever seen before. The meeting with Jareth had gone as best as it could've considering the circumstances in which she had left him behind.

How could she be so stupid as to not have taken the chance to meet the man! He had seemed amiable enough…no, not amiable, he was extremely likeable! She had yet to meet him as fully as she had desired but she decided it was best to wait for his hate to cool. Maybe she could befriend him, only then he might stop being such a pompous ass.

Taking her mind off of the confusing start of the reunited ceremony, she looked around the room. How was it that the room was oval shaped, yet it gave no outward appearance? She had no idea and didn't wish to bother with such silly questions. The style of every room in the castle seemed Gothic. The pointed roofs and multiple carving of goblins and owls spread around the room. The bed was oval also and resembled heaven as she lay upon it now. She had come this far, it seemed appropriate to continue, despite what Jareth or Hoggle had to say about it.

As the evening turned to night, Sarah fell asleep upon setting her head on the pillow.

That day would have been the most peaceful days of the ones that were to come.


	6. Chapter 6

Saving a King

Chapter 6

Musings

_Pure Nonsensical Rubbish_, Jareth thought as he raced back to the safety of his room. He had never expected to see his beloved temptress standing before him in all of her powerful image. Why did she have to come back now? When he was the weakest? Why as an ally! And when his hair was a total mess?

That Sarah Williams always had the most splendid timing. How could he have not known she would be coming soon? She was as tied as he was to this place. The moment when his eyes fell upon her imposing one, the air seemed to cackle for him. She always made his hair stand on edge and his skin prickle with desire, his heart flutter in anticipation. Oh he had hated her when he saw her! And how had he fallen in love with her? That fiery vixen was made for him, it was dictated. How could he make her see yet again that she was for him? When she had left, she had taken a part of his power. He had thought his plan to be flawless; he had already given her power as a Queen. She had denied it as some part of a fascinating story for her own childish moments. Would it have been different if he had waited and bid his time? Perhaps. His time altering abilities didn't go as far nor were that powerful. He had been left weak and with a broken heart.

Before he knew it the girl had been back to the Labyrinth, dallying in surrounding kingdoms except near his own castle. He would at times send a crystal to see how she faired. She had been growing to be a beautiful woman. It was a shock to see her so soon; he hadn't expected to see her until she had children of her own or some rubbish like that. Now that she was here, what would he do? He still loved her but that was never part of the question. The damned book had proclaimed her for him, he would be damned if he were to be without his Sarah. '_Damn treacherous heart_,' he recited as his index finger and thumb massaged the elegant bridge of his nose. Perhaps he could make a feast for her? No, it would seem obvious he was delighted. Even though he was, the anger still remained. Even if she hadn't done it intentionally, she had taken part of him away. The moment her lips touched that damnable peach, she had taken a part of him.

He had heard rumors that when she left, the Labyrinth had weakened, everyone had noticed it. At first it was calming the goblins and telling them that in a while all would be well. The rumor spread like a fiery's limbs and soon, neighboring kingdoms began to take an interest, some well intentioned and others not so much.

Everyone could see it in the Labyrinth; the king was heartbroken. But that wasn't the only concern now. The consequences were much worse.

He remembered the leader of the Vampire Nation, or so he would call himself, had come to see if he was well. Lucien had always been a good friend of Jareth's, being part of the treaty to not feed off or kill humans who entered the Fae Realm. Lucien and Aiden reigned together. The vampire domain was far away in the Dark Caves near the Infra-Region. It was impressive how far the energy decrease was being felt. After Lucien and Aiden, the Elvin King and Queen had come to see him. Bael'nes and Li'ithar had been a couple brought together by the mischievous acts of a young Goblin King. They had said they were 'forever in debt to him'. These visits had lifted his spirit, his magic had begun to return to him and work was being done.

The halt in progress occurred when a small platoon of trolls had come by. He had not counted on the damage they had inflicted on the Labyrinth's walls. In the midst of the walls and unknown places of the Labyrinth, there were portals to other worlds. That was why the Labyrinth had been so important to the Underground. It was the center of the Underground, where all doors were opened to other lands. It held power far beyond him and yet, his race had been chosen. There was no doubt there was Goblin blood in him, but they were a different species of goblin, a less greedy kind. The magic and power it had taken to restore portals had taken much out of him, and the Labyrinth.

Everything from there seemed to go downward. Assassination attempts were next on the list, until he had decided to seclude himself to his sanctuary to improve his health. The Labyrinth was tied to him since before he was born, it had also chosen him.

There was so much work to be done. The Labyrinth defenses had to increase, the attack be fended off and the gobbling population to be restored.

But Sarah was here, and that was something, as far as he knew, good news. He could almost hear the soft breath escape between her luscious lips. Perhaps, in the midst of all this net and tangles of dilemma he could win her heart. But perhaps it would be best to warn her to leave. A small passing of magic would solve the problem of his gift to her. _'You don't want to, do you?'_, his heart accused him. No, he did not; it was a gift of love. A gift like that should never be taken back.

As the Sun rose to expose a new day in the Fae Land, a certain Goblin King had remained awake, anxiously awaiting to speak to the woman he still loved.

Sarah's eyes slowly opened, inhaling the spicy scent of magic. The canopy of the bed elegantly stared back at her in an array of colors and texture. 'I could definitely get used to this', she thought to herself while she stretched and purred like a cat. Unfortunately Ms. Williams had not come to the Underground for the soft silky sheets or the perfectly puffed up pillows. Groggily standing, her feet made their way to the surprisingly modern bathroom. Magic indeed had its quirks when it came to convenient appliances. Magic fueled this very land like electricity. The bathroom was fit for a Queen indeed. What looked like a bathtub had enough space to fit 6 overly obese men, probably sumo wrestlers, with arm and leg space to boot. The mirror was ornately shaped and seemed to be fused perfectly, as if it was sculpted right out of the wall.

"Ooh, smelly good," Sarah proclaimed in the vast bathroom. Picking up a multi color stained glass bottle, she opened it carefully and smelled the fragrance.

A loud moan was heard and vibrated along the bathroom walls. "This smells so good," she whispered. Fifteen minutes did it take Sarah Williams to smell all of the fragrances until she was too dizzy to distinguish one from the other. Maybe her nose would tell her all of this was real, if the rest of her senses were deceiving her. She had thought she would awaken at her room again the next morning. She decided to wear a summery fruity smell, donning her faded jeans and soft booties once again. After not much priming and much cleaning, she took notice of the sun that was just halfway above the mountainous regions. Stepping onto the balcony, the wind whispered through her hair and caressed her skin like no other lover ever could, not that she'd had one anyways.

A soft screeching noise was heard, a flutter of feathers and a puff of glitter. In front of her, in all of his royal glory, was the king.

Sarah took a step back and smiled softly, "Morning to you too" she said as she turned once again to the rising sun.

"I hope enjoy my sunrise as much as you can…" he said in a solemn voice. "I am flattered you came back Sarah, but I wish to know if you are prepared for what is ahead, if not, please go while there's time."

Sarah's eyes remained unmoving from the soft lines of the horizon and the dark browns and sienna of the mountain range, "It can't be harder than last time right?" she asked with a touch of humor. Jareth smiled softly as the black tresses moved rebelliously against and with the wind.

"Sarah, things will very well be worse than ever. The land is coveted by the deadliest of Fae creatures and I fear for those who are under me." The wind took the sigh from his lips as it escaped them. Sarah frowned, '_Where is my proud and strong Goblin King?_', she thought as she turned to see his serious expression.

The rising sun could not have made a more beautiful image.

His hair seemed to be weaved out of gold thread. The bi color palette in his eyes reflected wisdom well beyond the years he outwardly had, the dark circles emphasizing his preoccupations. The movement the bone-colored fabric made around him made him appear luminescent. She had to say something quick before he had a chance to see her staring at him, "So…it will be hard you say?", Sarah mentally slapped herself, she really did know how to make an utter fool of herself. Jareth smiled rakishly while nearing her side on the balcony.

"Whoever wants this domain will stop at nothing to obtain it. They will maim and kill until they get what they want. I have yet to know who exactly…"

"There must be something I can do to help right?"

Jareth turned and smiled radiantly, "You coming back has helped me enough Sarah." His hand patted her back softly and if only a bit awkwardly. Sarah smiled and turned away as the hand persisted in the soft tapping at the center of her back. As the sun rose to its height to announce morning, Jareth cleared his throat, took her hand and kiss its knuckles softly. "I hope we can take another short moment to share vital pieces of information Sarah dear."

Sarah nodded shyly and said her goodbye.

She had to get answers from someone, everything seemed so strange. As she stepped into her room, a serious of whispers were heard along the walls like a sweeping breeze.

_You shall awaken._

_Domina Lucis._

_Krataan Re'Satal._

"Hello?" Sarah asked the voices but no answer was heard. Staying still in the light of the room, she squinted her eyes as if trying to find someone amongst the walls and bare spaces, but there was no one.


	7. Chapter 7

Saving a King

Chapter 7

Voices and Shenanigans 

As Sarah circled the room she resided in with wonder upon her features a soft breeze entered the room through the balcony windows she had been but a moment ago. As she was trying to figure out a book containing Fae language, a breeze seemed to carry many voices with it; among them a female one was most predominant. Sarah tended to be very suspicious of all things Fae but something about this current of voices created in her a light feeling she could not explain. She turned her eyes to the comfortable set of furniture placed in a circle. Taking along with her a few of her books she began skimming through the pages trying to understand what she could. As the minutes went by she found herself immersed in beautiful imagery. It seemed that in the Labyrinth, no matter how hard the situations may be, they seemed to be forgotten momentarily. As she opened a dark tome she saw that the language was English but apparently from a very old form of English. The tome contained a bestiary along with a large tree of Fae species. At the top were all forms of Royal Elven Fae; Second were Goblin Fae and all the rest it seemed. At the very bottom were a species called Lethum. It was curious how they belonged to another branch completely. They were not part of the Infra Regions or the Undead Realm. They seemed in between but apart. As she began to read the chapter correspondent to said species the whispers grew louder. They seemed to be some type of mix…unnatural was the word they were labeled as. The whispers seemed to get louder as she read more.

"Who is there?" she said softly as to not scare away these calming voices.

Nothing still. 

Sarah fingered the tome softly before setting it beside her bed for a read later. As the sun was high in the sky in the fashion of noon she contemplated her life. It was quite unbelievable she was back after so many years. She had even begun to doubt her sanity until she had found goblins playing dress up with her clothing in college or when she had to help some out of the dishwasher. No one had ever been willing to share a room with Sarah Williams for fear of the weird things that went on whence she appeared. Although she did have people to converse with, laugh and smile only one person had been worth the effort of smiling. Ana Michaels, sweet Ana. She had been a quiet girl but once she felt comfortable enough she was an ol' chatterbox. That was until she had been attacked on school grounds and had decided to move. It had been a small robbery, but the man had decided to put her through a rough beating to please himself. The goodbye had been teary and letters and e-mails were frequently written to date. Sarah still missed her anyways. Even if she had entertained people and was considered a very pleasing person, she had felt alone. That fact alone caused her to isolate herself in this world, that as far as she knew, she was the only one who knew it existed. Hoggle had once told her that it was not a good idea to tell anyone, because not just anyone could go into the wonderful Fae realm. 'Only dose that have a good heart Sarah!' he had exclaimed full of pride.

It was hard to identify herself with the rest of the world, after all she had seen beyond what people thought to be real, and the fact that she could not share her secret made her feel not part. Somehow, she knew she had always belonged here, even if she wasn't Fae. The only ones she would miss, if she were to stay, only theoretically, would be her dad and Toby. 'Karen too' she supposed.

Another string of whispers passed her by. "Who are you'", she asked the hollow room as the breeze passed her by. She walked to her chamber doors and looked outside. A few candles and torched were lit, permitting a better perusal of the premises. Nothing but a creepy looking hall way looked back at her.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

A small goblin walked along the large tall halls of the goblin castle in hopes of catching a glimpse of the maiden who had stolen the heart of his king long ago. Varkala had been the most trustful servant to the generations of kings. He had seen the king been born and had cared for him a large sum of his years. He had often worried about what trials would arise in Jareth's reign. His father had long gone away to Thúle Arda, the land of the spirit. Fae didn't die truly but achieved a state of immortality through this land. If only the father king was here to guide his care free son.

A soft breeze made his ears twitch; the sounds it held had a message for the maiden.

_Karkana_

That woman would surely help the maiden along if problems arose, he was sure of that. But, there were bigger problems than the impending war, and it was the war between two hearts. Not unless you had a trained eye and had known the now goblin king for long, you would not be able to perceive the clenching of his jaw or the slight frown when he saw the maiden. His eyes would gain a certain light and his stance would seem ready to pounce and attack, but it was rather a pounce and ravish sort of stance. Perhaps Karkana would be able to help along in that too, that woman was as wise as Time himself.

Perhaps a festivity would lighten up the tension in between these two yet-to-be lovers. Yes! A wonderful lavish ball to welcome his majesty back and the fair maiden that would surely save the king's heart from unrequited love!

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-00-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

"A ball Varkala? Are you ill?" Jareth asked as the small goblin was perched upon a stair below his throne.

"I am not ill, I assure you it will lift the spirits of the kingdom and re acquaint yourself with allies, remember that when at war we must remember where we stand", he said smiling.

Jareth raised a brow at the suggestion. There had not been a proper ball for some time and perhaps a small celebration was in order to lift the spirit of his goblin armies. Goblin ale could only suffice enough to make a few happy. It would also give the proper excuse for welcoming Sarah to his side. Ah! Indeed it would be great to see her in a lavish elven weaved dress of the finest silk and stones.

"You don't suppose you could propose such a thing to the lady? See if she is alright with it?"

Jareth was about to respond when he stopped to ponder what Varkala had just said.

"Varkala, a monarch does not need to ask others for opinions, why would I ask the Lady Sarah for it?" he said in small inched tones.

"Perhaps to prepare her for the future role of being a-" Jareth cut him off, "A QUEEN!" he stood from his throne to face the little imp. "I don't know what ideas you have conjured in your head but she was previously my enemy!"

Varkala smirked and cut off his incessant banter, "Enemy of your wonderful charm perhaps? Enemy of not blindly falling for you?"

"You tread on dangerous ground Varkala", Jareth said in a deep gravelly voice, his movements like a stalking animal.

"I have treaded on more dangerous grounds, but alas the heart is a fickle thing master and one does not know when it can change dramatically, shall I ask the lady for you?"

Jareth stared at the floor for a moment and nodded, he was about to refute what he had just agreed to but the sly goblin had already gone. 'Why was I so stupid'? Jareth asked himself. He had led Sarah to the Queens' chambers and let her know the intent but only in a joking manner but that imp had been nearby! Surely that goblin was already making some kind of plan!

And even so, perhaps it would not be a bad idea.

After a few moments of searching for the stray voice, Sarah had given up and decided to walk along the hallways of the large structure known as the goblin castle. She heard snickers here and there, only smiling faintly as she remembered the fateful night in which Toby had been stolen. Strange how she was here once again after so many years, strange how Jareth had not changed at all over time.

Her heart fluttered as she thought of him, after so much time and meeting a guy here and there, he was still number one in her head and in her heart. At her age and sage she had dated a couple of young men here and there and yet she had always seemed to compare the Goblin King to all of the airheaded men that came into her life. Jareth was the perfect mix of danger and animal magnetism, nobility and elegance. Sarah only hoped her longing glances and rosy cheeks were hidden to his eyes because she, of course, would prefer death by drowning in the bog than telling him.

Passing by a window a soft breeze of whispers passed by her side again. Decided to not go nuts with fear or paranoia she walked back the hallway and knocked on Sir Didymus's door.

"Allo my dear lady, how may I be of service to thee?" He bowed as usual and smiled up at her.

"Would you mind strolling with me around the castle grounds?" she curtsied and smiled down at the eager swish of the old fox's tail.

He nodded enthusiastically and closed his door extending a hand towards her as Sarah caught it in hers. As they walked along the halls the whispers ceased and Sarah felt relieved. The grand staircase they had encountered before was now swept clean and looking magnificent. A grand chandelier that had gone unnoticed before now shone brightly throughout the main hall. As she gripped the bannister softly to descend a few goblins slid down, bumping into her hand occasionally. She only smiled at the childish antics and finally reached the bottom. There was the main door, open for the goblins to go in and out, bringing in all types of things. Amongst them were strange vegetable, flowers and fruits. As soon as the horde of Goblins had finished carrying such things the grand doors were closed. Sir Didymus looked at Sarah and pointed to her left with his nose. At the end of that long hallway was a light, most likely an entrance. They walked down the hallway and eyed the rooms along their way; there were sitting rooms and a dining hall. Sarah knew right away what was at the end of that hallway. The bailey. As they walked out they were met with green pastures and exotic flowers. Guards were placed around the castle walls and were walking along. Sarah smiled and smelt the air, sweet and cool in the light of a Sun she could never find. A small goblin bumped into her legs and cleared his throat. Sarah looked down and was about to speak when the creature interrupted.

"Gophey be here my lady to help he is! Is the Lady hungry?" he asked in a shrill voice. Sarah smiled at the odd looking goblin and how his floppy ears fell besides him. The big bug eyes stared at her expectantly and she nodded. "Would it be too much to ask if we ate out here? It doesn't seem to be too busy." The small goblin nodded and proceeded to wander off into what she imagined was the kitchen. A grand oak tree was not far off from the entrance they were standing at and proceeded to walk towards it. Sarah sat content at the spot they had found and briefly closed her eyes. Sir Didymus had already begun to doze off when a spicy cinnamon smell filled the air. Sarah opened her eyes and found the source immediately. Jareth stood in front of her smiling a wry smile and looking her once over. Sarah groaned, rolled her eyes and finally sat up, her expression one of mock indignation at the perusal of his eyes. "Enjoying yourself Sarah?" he asked silkily as his wrist made a gesture and a blanket appeared beneath her. "We wouldn't want your splendid clothing ruined would we?"

Sarah only smiled and shrugged as Gophey came down the steps carrying platters of fruit and cups of fruit juice. Sarah looked down to the platters and eyed them gleefully, so many colors and smells! "Sit with us Gophey" she said smiling as the creature sheepishly took his seat beside her. One fruit was most strange; it was green and had spikes all over it. "Is that edible?" Sarah asked Jareth. "Everything on this platter is my lady" he smiled as one gloved hand tore open the fruit with ease. The inside was orange and smelled like watermelon. Sarah smiled at the confusing colors and scents but the taste was the strangest. As she took a piece of the inside, she introduced a small portion; it tasted much like apple with lemon! Sweet and sour.

After that tid bit Sarah had to try everything! Nothing much was said as the four beings ate in silence and peace. As Sir Didymus and Gophey were caught up in conversation about what was wrong with the Labyrinth, Sarah caught Jareth staring at her intently. Sarah raised a brow and he only smirked. "Know what to do yet? About what's happening?" she asked quietly. "I have a remote idea, but for now I'd rather prepare myself before I take any type of step, war is impending and I'm almost sure that it is an Infra-Region race…" he said thoughtfully. Infra-Region? She had read something about that area in one of the books in her room. Seems she would have to pull an all-nighter with those dusty tomes.

"Well, I must excuse myself, I have a ball and banquet to plan, and thank the Gods that there is magic to plan this sort of thing", he muttered under his breath.

"A ball? Banquet? Why didn't you tell me?" Sarah asked. He stared at her for a moment, a brief image of how it could be if she were his Queen, all defiant and sweet as she was now, slight worry creasing her brow.

"I didn't know I was obliged to tell you what I did or did not do?" He asked a bit icily. Sarah's mouth gaped for a split second, "You're not but it's about being polite" she retorted, unconvinced of her own answer.

"Well there is, and please do not worry yourself over a dress, I have ordered one for you and it is ready in your room". Sarah only stared at him and then looked to her lap, remembering the dress she had worn in the dream crystal. "Oh Sarah", he leaned in to whisper, "Do not worry yourself…it is not white nor does it have ridiculous sleeves". Sarah probably would have been offended years ago but all she could do was laugh. The laugh that vibrated through Sarah, made Jareth smile in tandem, feeling as if he had accomplished something truly marvelous.

He stood elegantly and shook off some imaginary dust from his thighs. "Then I shall see you tonight?" he asked, trying his best to not sound eager. Sarah smiled and nodded as he bowed and turned away. Maybe the night would bring good things.

Maybe not.


	8. Hiatus ,Please read if interested

Hiatus

First of all I want to thank all of you amazing people that still believe in this story and have faith that I will update.

Let me tell you I won't disappoint.

Hard circumstances have caused a huge art block to overwhelm me. Jareth keeps poking at me occasionally to finish this story along with all the other ones I never really finished properly. Storyline is built and I know where I'm heading, I just need to put it down soon and I will. Thank you and hopefully an update will come soon enough

Love,

Morgana Craven


	9. Chapter 8

Saving a King

Chapter 8

Of Glitter and Succubi

Pacing, a ridiculous and most unfruitful pursuit and yet there he was in his chambers with this unnecessary activity. Ah! But it was a reprieve for the weariness of having to come back to a land that soon would be gone. Sarah's presence had been felt throughout the land, a pulse so warm and encompassing, so alive. He couldn't believe she had come back, when a crystal was to be summoned, someone had interrupted his magic weaving. Now she was here, but why now? Why was she with him?

"Excuse me Your Majesty, ravens have been sent to The Infra-Region to Lucien and Aiden inviting them to the feast. Shall I let King Bael'nes and Queen Li'ithar know also?", asked Varkala as the list of guests swirled around Varkala, a quill scribbling notes on the side.

"Yes, and let them know we have matters of war to discuss or better yet send the owl"

"Yes my king", he said as he carried scrolls to and fro from different shelves.

"I had wanted to wait 'til after the feast but it seems there was another attack to the east-edge wall, this time though our platoon was not so successful. The attackers were shadow figures, no black ooze so we can eliminate the idea that they were infra-region scum…"

"Shadow figures?", Jareth asked as the pacing stopped for a moment, "You and I both know the tomes and descendant races like the backs of our hands…surely not all leave black ooze when shadowed".

Varkala simply shrugged as his small hand rose to his chin in thought. "I cannot say for certain but I shall investigate further, once I get this castle clean and spotless!" he said as he made his way to the hall. Looking at the retreating figure of his servant he looked down to his attire,'This won't do', he thought as he walked slowly to a grand mirror and began changing into this and that. He only hoped he could distract himself a moment. That would help regain his strength. Good company and good days seemed to make his magic flow in a steady leak. Even when he sang and played his music did it get even better! Sarah had been one of the reasons he often broke into song, and somehow the magic in him seemed to liven up.

As the sun began to set upon the day, Sarah had been once again buried under tomes and old smelling, yellow parchment. There were so many creatures and so many things to learn about. The voices she had heard vanished upon entering her room, now, as she looked through the pages of a worn book the voices spoke louder, the whispering winds suddenly turning the pages for her. Once again, the depiction of the wooden doors to Jareth's study looked back at her in much detail. The artist had been very careful to capture the creatures reaching beyond. Each level arose to the summit where the king and queen sat. Domina Lucis was written beside the queen's throne. Beside the kings throne was Sire Vita, '_Sire of Life?'_ Pride bloomed as she nodded in confidence; she still had it goin' for Latin. Looking down she began seeing what looked like Vampires. Below the throne of the King on the right side it read,Sanguis Legiones,_ Blood Legions._ Many pale faces with fangs bared looking upon shadowy and skeletal figures, pushing them down. Below the Queen were small figures with beady eyes, _goblins,_ she thought with a smile, a single finger grazing the page lovingly. Amongst the Goblins were Fair looking creatures with bows and arrows made of what seemed to be living wood, slight sprouts coming out of the wood. _Avos Vitalitas,_ Sires of Vitality? Boy oh boy was this confusing. Intermingling with these races were symbols, shields or coats of arms that had been smudged beyond recognition. Below the multitude of shadowy figures stood a symbol, it was a circle, and yet the figure inside had been etched away. Sarah frowned as she traced the abused paper and turned the pages for more information. Nothing was of any good. Many of the pages were written in what seemed to be a coded language. _Maybe not for my prying eyes_, but could this image be possible tied to her in some way? Did Jareth know about it?

Something that had made her smile was how sometimes in her sleep she could feel the silken spun strands of magic pulling at her fingers, she had started feeling the pull intensify a few weeks prior to Hoggle's confession but had decided to pay no mind. Now she felt that there was something greater, that somehow her purpose here was more than just supporting the King and yet she dared not venture into the vats possibilities.

Sighing in resignation to leave it for some other time, her muscles and joints cracked as she stretched and sighed loudly. A slight knock was heard at her door, "Come in!", she said as a small bedraggled female goblin carried a deep scarlet dress and some fine silk slippers.

"Majesty say you wear this tonight" she spoke as she magically appeared accessories and different combs and pins for her hair.

"Do I have a say in the choice of dress?" Sarah asked slightly annoyed as the dress was spread before her. "Not really lady" she said smiling a toothy grin as she scrambled away before Sarah could protest. As the doors to her chambers were closed, the dress winked at her invitingly. It was the color of wine with golden embroidery of tiny vines with intricate flowers all around the heart shaped neckline. A gold and scarlet sash went around the waist. The skirts were soft and pliant with movement, but not enough so as to remind her of the white fluff-monster she had been in her peach dream. Sarah wiped a hand over her face and smirked at the memory of the ridiculous dress.

_Let's get on with this then._

_0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0_

Jareth walked through the lightened halls of his castle as the guests began to come in. He walked amongst the shadows now and then to avoid any of the wanton women he'd had when Sarah didn't exist. He could only hope she enjoyed the dress he had picked out for her. Many women in the Underground had a preference for the shiny and opulent gold and silver glitter filled dresses, and it seemed that that would not do for his precious Sarah.

As the skies became darker and gave way to the dashing colors of a cool night sky he awaited at the bottom of the staircase with a goblet in one hand filled to the brim of elven wine. Women sniggered when they looked at him, a small smile upon their luscious lips and eyes calling to do the most sinful things beneath silk sheets. But, he could think of no other but Sarah now, as frustrating as it was. The beautiful skin, the luscious curves of her body and those eyes, that pierced him through. He felt a slight pang of arousal, thinking of how those eyes would gaze at him if she were to squirm and peak beneath him. _Gods I should stop drinking this…_

He guiltily drank as her name was announced. "Lady Sarah Williams of Above!"

Any chit chat stopped immediately and all eyes were trained on her. He could see Aiden and Lucien through the crowd and smirked as they stared, their jaws slightly slack. His brow furrowed as he saw Lucien slightly bite his lip at the sight of her. Turning his eyes to her figure, his jaw slackened slightly and he reminded himself to breath. She looked like s succubus meant especially for his torment, and yet she seemed ethereal, meant to only gaze upon with the purest of thoughts. He had chosen the correct dress for her indeed. Her hair was tied into an intricate braid, leaving her swan like neck exposed for his hungry gaze, a simple gold chain adding to the silken paleness. The dress flowed behind her but did not hinder her graceful step. Vanishing the drink from his grasp, he extended his hand towards her as she stepped onto the polished floor. Murmurs and smiles were shared as Jareth took her softly to the ball room. Sarah smiled softly as she saw all kinds of creatures she had only believed to exist in books, speaking and laughing around her. Soft music began to play as the stares stopped and chatter began to spread along the throngs of creatures. Some began to dance and some to eat. He led her to a small cushioned seat next to his throne, as a feast was put before him. "I hope all of this is to your liking" he voiced as he sat gracefully upon his throne. "Hmm, it measures up to my expectations", she replied sassily A soft presence made itself known to her left.

"So this is _the_ Sarah Williams? Quite a pleasure to meet a human, I am Li'ithar, wife of King Bael'nes of the Elven", said a beautiful voice beside Sarah. Green eyes met violet ones and she could only nod dumbfounded at the wondrous creature before her. Queen Li'ithar had caramel skin and delicate features, her silver hair cascading around her face. She was tall, for sure, but she seemed so fragile. "I- Yes I am your grace," responded Sarah a bit awkwardly as she didn't know how to properly address this beauty wrapped in lavender and deep purple silks. Li'ithar smiled and nodded as she handed a goblet of wine and toasted. Sarah smiled, relaxing as the bittersweet taste of wine caressed her taste buds. The hall she was in was grand. Round, high ceiling and a grand chandelier hung from the picturesque paintings above. High windows let in the blue light of the night while vines struggled to get to the roof. "You bring joy to the Underground Lady Sarah," Li'ithar said as she glanced around the room, "'Tis not very often we receive willing visitors from the Above, at least not with intentions so pure". Li'ithar took a careful sip ," You have a purpose here Lady Sarah, and times are dire but you…you can help us", she said as she glanced around carefully. Sarah could only stare at her in expectancy but nothing more was said. "Lady Sarah, my husband", she said as a large man sat next to Li'ithar. Sarah bowed her head ,"Your Grace," she said with small smile, remembering all of the times she would practice such formalities when playing with her imaginary knights and princesses. He smiled tenderly at her and Sarah turned away. _Starting to feel a bit ugly here…_, she thought jokingly to herself as she admired the man discreetly. He too had long silver hair that cascaded from a widow's peak. His features were sharp and his eyes piercing, with the greenest tone she had ever seen.

A soft tingling feeling pulled at her, the soft strands of magic calling her to look to her right. Mismatched eyes met her green ones and she could only smile as Jareth held her gaze softly. His half smile made her giddy, everything was so beautiful! Just as she was about to thank him for having her here, he extended his hand towards her. A soft melody had begun to play, the crowds shifting away from the center of the dance floor to welcome the couple. Turning to her with a smile, Sarah looked at him now. She hadn't noticed how handsome he looked tonight. A black, imposing, chest plate was donned, along with those black tights she knew so well, fine leather boots giving the finishing touch. His cloak was simple enough, bearing a sigil that she could only guess was his. Black streaks and silver ones mixed with the golden threads of hair. His eyes were accentuated by the black eye shadow he wore, along with the soft blues.

Suddenly the melody became familiar to her. It wasn't easily recognized because it now held a more instrumental tone, deeper and sweeter. Sarah smiled at him and he smiled back. "I could not help myself Sarah dear," he whispered in her ear as they moved softly amongst the crowd. "Thank you", was all she could say. His chin met the side of her head as he began humming. Not a moment longer did he begin to sing softly. Sarah could only sigh and smile as she felt comfortable. So frightening was he mere hours ago and here he was, holding her softly. One hand caressed her back softly as the other cradled her hand to his chest.

_Ill paint you mornings of gold  
>Ill spin you valentine evenings<br>Though were strangers till now  
>Were choosing the path between the stars<em>

Jareth smiled as he heard her begin to sing the next line with him. Her eyes met his as her lips melodiously followed the words. _  
>Ill leave my love between the stars<em>

"I can still remember it, you know" she whispered, smiling timidly. "I would expect you to, that song was made for_ you_". The blue and brown depths bore into hers with such intensity she resumed their first position, his lips softly kissing her temple.

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

Soon the spell was broken when the small band broke into a joyous upbeat song. Sarah could only laugh as she went back to her seat, taking a full grape from a platter. Jareth looked at her longingly as he escorted her to her seat. It wasn't long before a man garbed in excessive jewelry asked to speak with him. "My Lady", he said half mockingly as he bowed his head slightly and kissed her hand. Sarah saw his retreating form, smirking at his brisk pace. As she sat down, the music became louder and everything seemed to be like a grand joyful dream. As the windows were opened for the cool night breeze to come in, the whispers came back. She turned around slowly, as if looking or the source.

_Kratan Re Satal_

_Kratan Re Satal_

The voices repeated the phrase over and over.

_Awaken awaken awaken_

They chanted softly, enticingly. Sarah frowned as she began to feel the subtle strings of magic she held become stronger. In that moment, she looked across the room to Jareth. He was listening to someone attentively, seemingly ignorant to what she was hearing…perhaps she was the only one that could hear the whispers. And just how they had appeared did they disappear.

She did not know how much time truly passed before she knew what was happening around her.

"Unless you like extreme displays of affection I suggest my Lady accompany me outside". Cool gray eyes smiled as a pale hand was offered. "I am Aiden, First Lord of the Infra Regions and Dark Domains, it is truly a pleasure to meet you", Sarah looked at the white tips of his fangs and looked at his hand doubtfully.

"I can assure you Miss Williams I have had my fill", he said laughingly as he looked pointedly to a girl sitting placidly and flushed in a chair across the room. Sarah could only smirk as she got up quickly to leave the room. "Too much wine and good song lift the spirits of many women but raise the blood of men", he said as he led her from the beginning of a scene from a Marquis de Sade book. As she stepped out of the stuffy room, long velvet drapes covered the room. More guests were gathered outside and some were placidly conversing amongst the many chairs and furnished areas.

"I am glad you are here Miss Williams," he said as he offered her wine. "I have been getting that all night", she smirked, "Im happy to be here Aiden but I don't fully understand why exactly it is such a joyous thing?"

Aiden nodded to a divan and offered her a seat. "You are the champion of the Labyrinth, the avenger of wished away children, an icon to the destruction of the egocentrism of that glittering git in tights!", he said with a good natured laugh. Sarah smirked as she took a sip of her wine. "You have rights over this place as much as he does".

Sarah turned sharply at that. "I don't know what you mean and I'm not sure I want you to continue", she said resolutely. "It's not about wanting to or not, Im stating facts Ms. Williams and the fact is that, you have power over this great stone maze".

A retort would have been the natural thing to follow along with but it was interrupted by a scream from the closed off area.

A _loud, shrill_ and terrified scream.


	10. Chapter 9

Saving a King

Chapter 9

Lady of Light, What a fright!

Panic spread throughout the room as the curtains of the previous sexual sanctuary opened and a naked nymph was splattered in blood, her torn clothing trailing behind her light frame. The guests began to disappear, swirls of darkness, some of glitter and other flew away while others simply ran. "I suggest my lady stay here", said the solemn vampire beside her, "I feel something cold and fairly unpleasant". Sarah stood stock still as a loud roaring sound echoed through the high ceilings and seem to shake the very foundations of the castle. In a moment she was alone, the room darker than it should have been. The castle dimmed as Jareth's strong voice bounced against the walls of the hall inside followed by loud grunting, roaring, and more voices. An electrical charge seemed to pass through her body as the sound of many voices beckoned for the _Domina Lucis_.

Suddenly the room was quite. Trepidation gripped her frame as she took soft deer like steps towards the curtain that now seemed to be red blood. A pool of blood seeped beneath it so steadily her breath caught in her lungs. As she neared the curtain, her hand reached out to grip the velvet softly pulling it aside to reveal Jareth, on the ground with a gouged stomach.

"Sarah no!" she heard his voice," Don't believe what you see!" he warned with desperation in his voice. As she snapped back to reality, what stood before her was a creature so horrid she could not imagine anything worse; it was a large creature with bulbous clumps of rotten meat, its head abnormally small with some strands of long hair covering the wet, green and black flesh. Its eyes were sunken deeply into its skull, dragging itself by its arms as its chest was too large for the disgusting misshapen legs to carry itself. One single step separated herself and the creature. The putrid smell of his flesh was overpowered by the menace in his eyes, the pure intent to kill burning in the powerfully frightening gaze.

Everything seemed to happen all at once. The creature was pushed but a cm towards her direction but was stopped by Aiden and Li'ithar gripping a misshapen leg, Bael'nes stabbed its side with his long sword and Jareth leaped into the air. The creature yelped as Jareth stood on its back with a crystal lance lodged deep within the creature lungs and heart, the skin around it releasing black and green ooze. As a last resort, the creature swiped at the air before him, managing to knick Sarah's stomach as she stepped back with a yelp. At the contact of the putrid flesh, her hands began to burn. White orbs seemed to glow right beneath her skin, travelling hotly across her body, "What's happening!?" she asked as she watched and felt the light travel through her frame, scorching her insides as well as outside all at once. Strong arms enclosed her and began to pronounce a string of words that balmed the pain inside. She felt sweat trickle down her back as she leaned heavily upon the frame of the Elven King. "Are you well My Lady?" he asked smoothly as the Queen inspected her hands. "She seems to have been marked…I cannot decipher the source of the mark but someone engaged a spell when the creature touched her, a spell to save her, I can feel the string of magic but cannot tell who it is from…" she whispered frantically as Bael'nes wiped her brow and inspected her hands from over her shoulder.

"Save her?" Jareth enquired as he saw Sarah being inspected "Save me from what?" asked Sarah shakily as she looked at the scratch on her stomach, the cloth clinging to the drying blood. "Look", whispered Aiden as he pointed to her stomach. All gazes stared intently on the wound as the skin began knitting itself slowly and painstakingly as Sarah moaned with pain at the sight. Whispered voices floated to the room, the same ones who had called to her. "This is beyond any of our magic combined, the swipe of his claws would have been deadly to her mortal body", Li'ithar observed as she touched the black ooze and it burned through her fingers before they healed again. As Bael'nes stood, she was delivered shakily into Jareth's waiting arms. He kissed her brow softly, taking her hand into his and adding another soft kiss. "Jareth, what's happening?" she asked as the body of the once disgusting creature shrieked and reformed to the remains of what used to be a male nymph. His beautiful black locks full of blood and his eyes so scared and pained. His skin was filled with green and black veins tracing the once beautiful lines of his body. As Jareth left Sarah with Li'ithar, he retrieved his lance carefully, turning the delicate body in the process. Aiden growled, but the room remained silent as the now dead nymph.

Upon the creatures chest laid a seal. What seemed like a skeletal hand reaching a heart, etched into his skin with grotesque lines?

"They can't be back" whispered the elven queen to her husband. "No one can make such a horrid jest, can they? Not even the cavern witches…"

"It's not a joke, he's back, I would know that mark anywhere. I didn't wish to alarm any of you before but it seems my suspicions were true" answered Aiden as he set a fire spell to the dead body, ashes left in its place.

"Who are you taking about? What's happening?" asked Sarah as calmly as she could. Thoughts raced through her head at what they spoke about, image of the old tome flickering before her eyes, the room spinning and the knitting sensation of her flesh making her shiver. "I would like to explain further Sarah but you need to rest, for now all we can do is put a protection spell upon our lands", said Jareth as he walked to her and gripped her arm lightly. "You're too weak for that Jareth", whispered Aiden, "But I'll put safe stones throughout the Labyrinth for you". Jareth nodded in agreement as he took Sarah out into the hall she had previously stayed in. Sarah's vision began to blacken, her body felt weak and tired as the poison within her fought with whatever magic had been bestowed upon her. "Come, come Sarah" Jareth whispered as he took her body into his lean, strong arms.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

In the deep forest beyond the Infra Regions, a being of elemental importance looked upon the weaving of the future for the magical lands. It seemed like a large tapestry, with fibers intertwining to create a greater image of what was to occur for greater purpose. The long fingers caressed the many magical fibers of this large mat but yet could never decipher the future of it. None the less, among the fibers, there stood four bright ones and one single black one. The eyes of the being traced the rest of the fibers, its eyes widening with fear when more and more black fibers of magic began to expand.

"No…" it whispered as there seemed to be no more weaving after the blackness.

In the darkness, illuminated only by this map of the Underground, one word was uttered.

"Inferus"

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

"It's strange; it almost seemed as if for a moment the creature recognized who the Lady was! It didn't move just stared at her for what seemed too long" Aiden said as he paced around the throne room. The creature had stayed so still as if it was admiring her but yet deeply fearful of her. Domina Lucis, Lady of Light, he had said that in his voice of one thousand voices and she had appeared. And when it struck her she had begun to heal! The light in her palms, the frightened eyes, the voices calling out that damn title! It was all just too confusing. Aiden paced and paced round the throne while Jareth sat impatiently, tapping his riding crop on his leg. "Something that worries me more is his return, it's been nearly 1,000 years since his disappearance, you fought with him well Lucien did too but it seemed that whatever you did, wasn't permanent", Jareth muttered under his breath as he looked at the worn leather of his crop. "What did you expect us to do? The Infra regions were full of their kind and there was little else to do than kill the King, you know this is his son. The King swore revenge by his son but we thought we had killed him too. We had never seen the queen before, mayhap we just killed a pregnant lethum", his eyes squinted in thought at the woman they had murdered painlessly. She was dressed in Lethum royalty garb, but that didn't mean it actually was her. Jareth glanced at his stance, "What did you do to defeat them?"

"We starved them; we were slaves to them for far too long, they were feeding off of the humans or creatures we converted. We don't like to cause pain, at least not our clan and the poor creatures cried and wailed. Their souls were being eaten, and it made us weaker so we liberated ourselves. We slowly dry out, you could say, when we do not feed, but we slept collectively and the numbers of victims diminished. Their children started dying and so did their elderly. Finally when we awoke, we waged and declared war. The One helped us. It seemed the Underground was feeling we were slaving far too much. I remember the battle. When our numbers were being slain we suddenly became invigorated, tendrils of white magic trailing through our veins", he caressed the transparent skin, tracing his blue veins lightly as if feeling the tendrils once again. "And before we knew it, we were all standing there, Lethum splayed around us, their bodies completely turning to dust. I consulted the One and it only quivered in relief. We owed it out victory". Aiden stood at a distance, a nostalgic eyes passing over his façade. "The One? I have to go then…but the questions remain, why now? Why the Labyrinth? And more importantly what in goblins name happened to Sarah?" Jareth murmured under his breath as the steady tapping of his riding crop stung slightly. He was sitting in his throne room, her name slightly bouncing off the stone walls. This throne room was a lot warmer than the main one, the presence of his father still whispering, it was always quite droll. This was also the one he turned into an Escher room, for her. Sarah was the woman that he loved ever so deeply, the one that was destined to be his.

"I think that for tonight we best leave it until I consult her" he said as he lifted from his throne and walked into a corridor, he turned only halfway, his eye looking at Aiden. "I would prefer know one know this, anyone who saw anything, make them un-see it".

As the footsteps were heard retreating Aiden could only nod, "That man is truly fierce", he whispered to himself. Any man in love would be, especially a man in love with Sarah Williams.

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

A blur, that's what everything seemed at the moment. Like that frustrating dream in which you can't really focus your eyes and instead try to hide behind the veil of darkness that would salvage her stomach from throwing its contents. She'd probably choke. Dismissing the idea, her eyes closed out of their own volition.

Behind closed lids, something inside her was moving, a very delicate white bright string among the dark recesses of her mind. The pain tugged at her stomach and seemingly in her bloodstream. A moan or groan was emitted and rapidly hushed, the disturbance made her lose that sweet thin tendril of whatever seemed to heal her and calm her at once. Her hands gripped the sheets tightly, flexing her fingers now and then as if there was a string drawn from each digit. A cool hand was set upon her forehead; it made the strings become brighter. God only knew what was happening to her, and maybe he didn't either. AS she began to sleep peacefully, she began to feel a calming wave of emotions. The hand stroked her hair and deftly touched her lips, as if placing a kiss. The pain subsided, her stomach thankfully settling at the sound of a soft hum. Her dream-self returned to the ball, the soft swaying of her hips, the gentle hands holding her waist and her hand. His eyes peering into her so sweetly, how was it possible she had ever thought this man a villain?

All coherent thought began to disappear as the darkness took over, and she was only left with a sense of fulfillment like never before.

He completed her.


End file.
